Preliminary phase, collecting written and oral accounts of the disappeared.

Analysis phase, studying documents and records in order to identify the possible whereabouts of the remains

Archaeological phase, similar to classical archaeology within a forensic context. This phase also used genetic investigation techniques based on DNA testing.

The EAAF was a pioneer in developing these techniques. In the words of Clyde Snow:

"For the first time in the history of human rights investigations we began to use a scientific method to investigate violations. Although we started out small, it led to a genuine revolution in how human rights violations are investigated. The idea of using science in the human rights area began here, in Argentina, and it is now used throughout the world. The Team took the idea to other parts of the world and helped set up teams in other countries, such as Guatemala, Chile, and Peru. European countries now have their forensic anthropology teams. But Argentina was the first."[4]

By 2000 the EAAF had succeeded in identifying sixty sets of remains, while a further 300 cases were still under investigation.[3]